Trying times for TB ranches in California.....is your state experiencing similar problems?

Question

These are trying times for horse owners... 3 TB farms in Cali are closing their doors (probably many more) and are selling their horses for 40 cents a pound ($300-$400 each) or giving their horses away, per TBfriends. Just wondering if your state is experiencing the same kind of problems.....poor market......horse breeders losing their ranches...horses being given away, euthanized, or sold for KB prices.

Answer 1

I think the economy has alot to do with the excess of horses seen at auctions and for sale.  Our area had a neglect case that put 25+ horses into the local rescue.  The woman wasn't able to feed them and they were starving.  Not that it excuses her lack of care, but most people I know who have horses for sale can't afford the cost of hay, much less the 30% feed increase.

Thank the oil companies for driving the cost of gas up with price speculation on barrels of oil, then driving the cost of corn up with "ethanol research" (even though biofuels can be made easier and cheaper with non-food products like switchgrass).  And thank the US food market and their campaign against trans-fat.  Frito Lay Company bought up most of the open-market sunflower seeds to press oil and drove the cost of nearly every other kind of feed through the roof.

So what everyone is experiencing is the cost of increased fuel for all, increased cost to harvest, diesel through the roof... and the result for farmers and ranchers is having to charge more for hay and feed because it costs more to plant and harvest as well.  I've seen ads in the local paper for people to come out and harvest hay from other farms and keep it.  It's going to waste because they can't afford the diesel for their own cutters and balers otherwise.

It's tough across the board, and moreso for people who's only profit comes from breeding and selling.  I'm doing okay (relatively speaking) because I've tried to maintain sustainability.  Produce, herbs, eggs, goat milk... growing things to feed the animals and my family and having the animals "earn their keep".  Eggs have gone a long way in paying for chicken feed this year!

Hang in there... I know it's tough right now.